KALAY- Passengers arrested by the Arakan Army (AA) in the morning of June 3rd had escaped yesterday morning, according to sources.
“We, the vessels plying from Paletwa Township to Taungpyo in Rakhine State, regularly ferry passengers. They[AA] stopped the cargo vessel which was in front of our vessel. Then the AA called out passengers from the vessel to carry the rations from the cargo vessel. We received the information in the evening of June 3rd. But the passengers escaped from the AA yesterday morning. The passenger vessel returned back to the way and some passengers went back to their villages. There may be about 30 of them on board the vessel but only 19 passengers were forcibly ordered to carry the rations. It is a first time. In terms of carrying rice, they’ve arrested cargo vessels in other places. The flow of passenger vessels stopped yesterday. The strike has led to the delay in teaching because teachers can’t go to the schools,” said one of the locals.
There are three passenger vessel lines in operation based in Paletwa Township, Chin State. Those lines are Paletwa- Taungpyo, Taungpyo-Htawai and Htawai-Shinletwa.
“There was for nothing on June 3rd. The passenger vessel was brought by AA aiming to carry the rice bags from the cargo vessel. There was no rice bag in the passenger vessel. They[AA] didn’t attack the passengers but they ordered them[passengers]except elder and unhealthy persons to carry the rice bags. Moreover, AA told me not to carry the rice bags if I can’t,” said one of the passengers who were brought by AA.
